TAKE ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

PROTECT FREEDOM OF PRESS

UA: 37.25

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress to implement and enforce U.S. communication laws. It is meant to be a regulatory, independent agency — completely separate from the president’s agenda.

But since President Trump appointed Brendan Carr as FCC Chairman, it has weaponized routine procedures against independent media outlets that Trump has repeatedly attacked, including by threatening to revoke their licenses and launching investigations.

The FCC has used its regulatory power to discredit, undermine, and silence press freedom. It must urgently maintain its independence from the Trump administration to ensure the continued freedom of the press in the U.S.

Urge Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, reaffirm the FCC's commitment to independence and service to the public - send your email using our email-writing tool.

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Chairman

Brendan

Carr

FCC

To Chairman Carr,

The FCC has a responsibility to respect and protect the human right to freedom of expression, including freedom of the press. Congress established the FCC as an independent commission held accountable to the legislative branch with limited authority to prevent interference with the right to freedom of expression. However, recently, the FCC has taken actions that appear to be politically motivated to target certain media organizations the President has attacked, undermining the free press.

First, in early 2025, the FCC reopened a dismissed complaint against the outlet CBS News for allegations regarding its editing choices of its interview with former Vice President, and then-presidential candidate, Kamala Harris. This case follows a lawsuit by President Trump accusing CBS of election interference. Subsequently, the FCC launched an investigation into independent public media stations National Public Radio (“NPR”) and Public Broadcasting Service (“PBS”), for allegedly violating their noncommercial terms. President Trump has called for NPR to be defunded, and on 29 January 2025, you also questioned why Congress should continue their funding. NPR and PBS provide crucial communication resources, including to rural and marginalized communities.

Lastly, the FCC's demand that private media organizations eliminate their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs for the retention and approval of licenses and/or business deals, sets a dangerous precedent where the FCC leverages licensing and other decisions to interfere in independent media companies’ operations, impacting their right to freedom of expression. This is clear overreach by the FCC. These actions reflect a dangerous misuse of government authority to intimidate media outlets that report on the executive and risk creating a chilling effect on all independent media. Independent journalism is essential to hold governments accountable, and the FCC is undermining press freedom by targeting them.

We call on the FCC to reaffirm its commitment to independence and service to the public by:
- Protecting and respecting the human right to freedom of expression, including free press and closing politically motivated investigations that weaponize FCC authority. 
- Conduct investigations with transparency, impartiality and independence. 
- Ending interference with the independence of media outlets and their internal DEI programs.

Sincerely,
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